A/N: Greetings avid VG cats fanfictioneers. I am glad I can finally get my first fic for this underway. Couldn't tell ya how long this fic has been pieced together before now, though due to other fanfics and lack of time to work on said fanfics, it has been put off for some time.

So yeah, my fic may not be the most original (cough cough nudge nudge) but I'm sure it will be an enjoying read to everyone. Hell, I may even make a few certain someones laugh at a badly placed joke.

I would also like to give credit towards SwedenSpeedway's very own fic, The new guy. Reading this fantastic piece of work gave me the inspirational jump start that got this fic started in the first place. But that doesn't mean this will be some amnesia fueled scheme of highschool depressions added with a pinch of sudden realizations to a long forgotten friendship of amazingness. (cough once more)

So my long ass ramblings aside, here is chapter one...

Crossings

Chapter 1: Same Path, Different Steps

Twilight. The Canadian skies were filled with it. It wasn't late, but it was far from early. Though it wasn't the only thing in the skies.

Water filled the sky as well, it also fell from it. Each drop echoed onto the silent, empty streets, few people went out in the rain. One of the many mysteries of life. It was obvious for some, felines naturally hated it. For other species and humans, it was just a personal matter.

Only a single person contrasted the vacancy of the streets, what looked like a fox in an old trench coat marched down the sidewalk. The flapping of his coat in the wind and the splash of his footsteps being the only sound he made. He didn't mind the rain that much. Well, about half of him didn't mind it. The other half was somewhat uneasy, but that other half also marked him for what he was. Called a freak by some, pitied by others.

Still the fox trudged onward, slightly hating himself for being in the rain. He didn't need to be, having just left for his destination too early, thinking it would be for the better, obviously being wrong.

From his pocket he pulled out a wrapper, he emptied it and placed its contents in his mouth. After chewing it for a few moments, a pink bubble expanded from his muzzle, a small pop and chuckle followed. Something he used when irritation or uneasiness settled in, among other things. Smokers had their tar and he had his gum. Not caring to find a trash can in the rain, he simply allowed the wrapper to slip from his hand, feigning his innocence to the non-existent witnesses.

Soon he made it to his destination, a large convention center where one of his favorite pastimes were being held and he was going to be apart of it. The rain started to let up as he entered the center's lobby, it would only last a few more minutes.

"Figures," he muttered to himself, while drying off. He entered the main room, a blast of music and techno sounds filled his hearing as the night's event was being prepared for.

"Ugh," Aeris moaned, "why did it have to rain." She was walking alongside her friend Leo. Both heading down the street to an important engagement, something they had spent a long time planning for. They had lucked out, their set time to leave their apartment was about the time the rain had stopped falling, not bringing more stress on the pink cat. Though it created its own problem, the smell of a post rain shower forced her to scrunch her nose in disgust, one of the few things she hated more then Leo's idiocy.

"Oh, don't get all angry," Leo replied. The gray cat playfully jumped around into the many puddles that dotted the pavement. One puddle in particular was much larger then the others, the resulting splash sent a wave to fold over Aeris and drench her.

"Damn it Leo!" she shouted, grabbing her friend by the shirt collar and pushing him against the nearest wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" The gray cat gave an nervous smile.

"Heh-heh, I was uh... just... sorry?" Aeris exhaled a sigh and dropped the cat. Twisting her jacket, she tried to wring out some of the water that soaked her. Though she would rather be doing it to Leo's neck, she needed him for what they were doing.

They continued their walk, Aeris grumbled angrily to herself while Leo avoided the puddles like land mines, not trying to spark Aeris' rage again.

"Oh look!" Leo suddenly shouted, pouncing on the ground. He picked up a scrap of paper that was laying in a puddle. When Aeris examined it, she could see it was a large gum wrapper. "Maybe some poor sucker's left some gum in here before they threw it out." The gray cat tore the paper into pieces, finding no trace of any lingering gum. "Aw," he moaned, his ears dropping in disappointment.

"Really?" Aeris asked, crossing her arms. "Scavenging trash for gum Leo? You just love to lower my opinion of you."

"It can go lower?" Leo asked, astonished. Aeris was about to reply but stopped herself, finding that she didn't know how to. It was possible, the rare occasions when Leo's intellect actually turned normal for a few moments. Usually being spent on a single sentence. After that, whatever conversation or argument that was going on would stop, Aeris being too surprised to continue.

So the topic was dropped, as well as the remaining wrapper trash. Still walking, they spent the time in utter silence. But even with the lack of words between the two, both were still sidetracking themselves as they examined their surroundings. And just as their minds began wandering too far, Leo cried out in surprise as he tripped over something and made an excruciating face plant into the sidewalk.

"Ow, that hurt!," Leo yelled, rubbing his aching face while he staggered upward.

"Looks like you tripped over... something," Aeris murmured as she examined the ground. What just looked like a black mass from the lack of light on the streets, Aeris gave it a light tap. Immediately, she pulled back and almost fell over as she gasped in shock.

It was a person, though their species was unidentifiable in the current position they were in, it became clear that there was indeed someone lying on the sidewalk.

"He must have slipped in the rain and knocked himself out," Aeris thought aloud.

"Hmm," Leo muttered, still rubbing his face. "Should we help him?" There was a long pause from Aeris as she looked down at the person's unmoving form.

"Nah," she said with an uncaring tone, right before stepping over the helpless body and walking away.

Leo looked toward his friend as she left and began going after her. But after a second thought, he stopped and returned to the fallen figure. Before another moment passed, the gray cat lifted his leg and gave a hard kick into the unconscious person's ribs.

Satisfied, Leo ran back to Aeris' side as they both laughed over an inside joke they shared.

They didn't go much farther until they stopped at their destination, the large convention center looming over them with its awe inspiring presence.

"So you ready Leo?" Aeris asked with determination in her voice, her gaze fixated above at the center, as if to challenge God.

"What? We've been ready for this for days. Besides, this isn't the first tournament we've been to."

"But that doesn't take away the pit in my stomach... We are going against pros." Aeris worried that her friend would screw everything up with his lack of excitement.

"Yes that is true, but they have to go against us. Pros ourselves, or at least I am. We are going to wipe the floor with these ammeters."

"Right!" Leo seemingly pulling a new found determination out of thin air.

"So are we ready!"

"Yes!"

"All right then!"

"Let's do this!" Leo then charged into the building, leaving Aeris behind. She heard him shout something else along with it, but the sudden blast of music drowned it out. With one deep breath, she made herself ready for the event that was about to transpire and followed her friend inside.

A/N: Okay then, that's the first chapter. As with any intro chapter, this is introducing...things... I even got in an minor obligatory Leeroy reference at the end there. I can cross that off the list. Why is it obligatory? Because... I don't know...

Anyway, I would once again like to give props to SweedenSpeedway. If you haven't seen his fic yet, (and seriously if you are looking at VG cats fanfics in the first place, his story is mandatory) then give it a read. And may he soon defeat the evil wizard Balrofic, save the fifth pony dimension, and make a safe return from his heroic journey to finish his work here. (I cough a third time!)

As for closing remarks. If you've enjoyed this first chapter, or any chapters afterward, then leave a review to show what you've thought of it. Encouraging words are always appreciated.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.